Provincial Occupational Safety & Health Acts in Pakistan
Dedicated OSH legislation enacted separately by each province: Sindh (2017), Punjab (2019), Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (2022), and Balochistan (2022).
Overview
After the 18th Constitutional Amendment devolved labour matters to the provinces, each province began enacting its own occupational safety and health law, starting with Sindh in 2017. These acts build on the older safety chapter of the federal Factories Act 1934, introducing more current OSH management requirements, worker participation structures, and enforcement mechanisms tailored to each province's industrial base.
Key points
- Sindh Occupational Safety & Health Act 2017, the first provincial OSH law after devolution
- Punjab Occupational Safety & Health Act 2019
- Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Occupational Safety & Health Act 2022
- Balochistan Occupational Safety & Health Act 2022
Who this applies to
Employers and HSE managers operating in any of the four provinces. The applicable act depends on where the workplace is physically located, not where a company is headquartered.
Frequently asked questions
Why does each province have its own OSH act?
Since the 18th Amendment moved labour legislation to the provinces, each has legislated separately instead of relying on one federal law.
Which act applies to a workplace in Karachi?
The Sindh Occupational Safety & Health Act 2017 applies, since Karachi falls within Sindh.
Do these acts replace the Factories Act 1934?
No. They work alongside it, the Factories Act's health and safety chapter still applies, and the provincial OSH acts add more current requirements on top.
Is there a single federal OSH law that applies everywhere?
Not for occupational safety and health specifically. That responsibility now sits with each province.
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